Hallelujah He is Here - Chataway

[DutchOma]

Well here you are then I don't post often, but just to save Nickel a job...

I go through phases of feeling very glum about my church (am in one at the mo). I guess though, like any family, you have to take the rough with the smooth.

But I agree 'God's my mate' makes the baby Jesus cry. I'd quite like to have 'God's an ineffable mystery' sometimes, just for a change

yes, i think a bit of variety wouldn't hurt!
you can be too HC

Ha. That used to be one of my DCs favourites and I have to admit dh and I always cringed somewhat at that particular line, despite the fact we are generally rather HC about these things - HC but with mystical tendencies. Is that a good description? I think so. I don't think you can be too HC but you can be too HC in a cringeworthy manner. There can be a difference, I feel.

Welcome creator! :)

I have been a bit AWOL, sorry. Have been ill and fairly sorry for myself and hiding a little.

Oh BLue - is that the Children's Ministry conference in Eastborne? I went there one year and absolutely loved it - it fired up our little team no end and changed the face of our children's work.

[TUO appears in a cloud of incense]

Guess where I sit, candle-wise?

Are you feeling better, MHD?

Glad you had such a good time at the Children and Families conference, Blue.

Just popping my head round the door to say hello. Still snowed under with work and unprepared for next week's interview. Help!

Hello all, just checking in as I'm having a lovely time escaping the winter in Moldova here in the UK . No really, I'm really enjoying just speaking English, shopping and catching up with friends (not in that specific order) . I've even heard two sermons that I've fully understood!

I'm around and will be back properly next week when I'm back in Moldova...

oh, mhd - sorry you're still suffering. (or is this a new one on top of it all?)
for you and a and a

ooh! welcome back to the UK, milly
hope you're enjoying the cold and the snow

Hi MHD sorry you haven't been well. Hope you're feeling a bit better.

What's TUO?

I'm trying to get fit after being unwell, so I'm off for a swim now .

MHD sorry to hear you are ill (we really need a candle icon, don't we?), hope you are feeling better soon -- although the weather doesn't make it any easier, does it.

I really like that, 'too HC in a cringeworthy way'. Yup, know what you mean!

TUO is the shortening of TotallyUnheardOf's nickname

talking of cringeworthy - we've got Morning has Broken on sunday.

god knows what fills DH's head when he does the music sheets.
Baby brain i think.

Hi Everyone

I quite like Morning has Broken. I have a soft spot for hymns which talk about nature because I tend to feel closer to God when I'm surrounded by breathtaking scenery than within the four stone walls of a church.

Hello Niminy and Creatovator. I'm CofS too. I think there's a few of us about. I like the sound of painting and flag waving. I'd give that a go. Our church is a bit more traditional than yours Creatovator but nothing like as traditional as some.

I quite like HC but agree it is possible to go too far in that direction. I find some action songs particularly cringeworthy. I think they only work if everyone is willing to throw themselves into the actions. Otherwise everyone just feels a bit daft.

I know what you mean about breathtaking scenery, jaffa, but I do think the ploddy, stilted tune of Morning has Broken detracts from the beauty instead of bringing it to mind. :)

Wonderful music also lifts my soul. Like Locus Iste mentioned earlier... and Graham Kendrick, of course.

Hello! [twirls] I've been abbreviated!

Actually, I've been meaning to do this for ages.... I'm now officially 'Tuo'. It's Italian for 'yours' so quite nice, and less cumbersome than all that 'Totally...' business.

Nickel... I like your Dickens nickname!

I don't mind 'Morning has broken'. It reminds me of being at primary school in the 1970s quite a long time ago. That and 'Lord of the Dance'!!

Nice to 'see' you Millie... Hope you're enjoying being back in the UK and stocking up on Marks and Spencers knickers snacks and stuff you can't get in Moldova.

Very cold and icy here tonight, though not much in the way of 'real' snow. Hope everyone else is OK and keeping warm and safe. Especially you, MHD... Look after yourself.

I moaned to DH about it.
he said "when was the last time we had it? "
"every wedding"
"and when was the last time we had one of those?!"

bloody HC children's hymns.

agree about the tune as well.

I used to love Morning has Broken, because when I was at junior school, Mr Atkins used to put the words of the songs/hymns on overhead projector sheets, and he'd just done a new one for MHB.
partway through the introduction, he started giggling, and pointed out that he'd put Blackbird has broken instead of spoken, and he drew a little broken blackbird (not macabre! just a head, then a body, two wings and legs separated), and we all laughed too.
So whenever I think of MHB, i think of Blackbird has broken.

bloody weddings ruining my joke. :(

MHB is not really representative of HC children's songs, though... My dcs love these and so do I : or - those kids are SO cool! :o

think i might suggest Lord of The Dance for Holy Week

Doh! Sometimes my brain doesn't seem to connect, but thanks for becoming officially Tuo to help out .

Jaffacake it's good to know there are a few of us about.

I haven't sung Morning Has Broken for years and I'm very glad as I really don't like the tune. I do love being out in nature thought and love the hymn that has a verse, "Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small. Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul my life my all." I remember singing that one whilst walking up a lane in some woods. It was a very poignant moment when God was speaking to me.

I love that one too creatovator.

I don't like MHB when it is sung too slowly. To my mind it should almost have a lilt to it rather than be ploddy. I like the carol Child in a Manger too that has the same tune. I like that everyone knows the tune so you can sing it unaccompanied. I wonder if it had the tune before MHB? I know it is translated from gaelic so wonder if it is older than MHB?

Child in a Manger is fab. I learned to sing it in gaelic a long time ago. Can't remember it now though .

Oh no, MHB def not a HC children's song, more a retro school-assembly-of-our-yoof type thing, and in that is kind of sweet. But too cringey in many ways, bit like ATBAB (work that one out)

The gaelic I mean .

MHD. I need a clue.

MHD... you mean:

ATBAB
ACGAS

Right?

Got it now .